Bottle-carrier.



Patented Oct. 7,. [902.

0. F. CLARK.

BOTTLE CARRIER.

ltiOn' filed Doc. 6, 1901 (No Model.)

Jrzdenia r":

A \m mi W wl% UNITED STATES PATENT Orrlcn.

OLIVER F. CLARK, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BOTTLE-C RRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'latent No. 710,563, dated October 7, 1902. Application filed December 6,1901. Serial No. 84,898. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER F. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Carriers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, strong, and inexpensive bottle-carrier adapted to rigidly retain the bottles when in position in a box and-to be collapsed or folded when not in use. I

A further object of my invention is to construct a bottle-carrier that can be quickly assembled, the strips and ties comprising the carrier being so formed as that they are interlocked when assembled, and therefore will not readily become detached or slip out of place.

The invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a perspective view of my improved carrier in its completed form. Fig. II is a cross-section showing the carrier within a box. Fig. III is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken on line III III, Fig. II, and showing the manner of twisting the wires around the vertical strips. Fig. IV is an elevation of the upper ends of two of the vertical strips and showing a modified arrangement for retaining the horizontal strips in position. Fig. V is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line V V, Fig. II. Fig. VI is a detail view of a modification.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a series of vertical strips arranged in rows at suitable distances apart, the strips in each row being bound together near their tops and bottoms by the wires or ties 2. There is a pair of these tiewires near the ends of each series of strips, and each pair pass along the sides of the strips 1 and are twisted .tightly together between said strips in such a manner as to slightly embed themselves in the strips, thus preventing the latter from any vertical movement relative to one another. The twisting of the wires together between the strips necessarily separates the strips a slight distance from each other.

The outer strips of each se ries are very narrow in width and merely act as fillers between the carrier and the walls of the box or package in which the carrier is placed.

3 3 indicate horizontal strips that are arranged at suitable distances apart and are located in spaces between the vertical strips 1. The lower edges of thestrips 3 are notched, as indicated by 4, in order to receive the twisted portions of the tie-wires 2 when said strips 3 are placed in their. proper positions relative to the strips 1. There are preferably two sets of these horizontal strips 3, the lower set resting upon the lower tie-wires, the upper set resting upon the upper tie-wires, and the top edges of the upper set preferably lying flush with or in the same plane with the tops of the vertical strips 1. The strips 3, together with the strips 1, when in proper position form rectangular compartments for the reception of the bottles orlike articles to be carried, and at the lower end of each compartment between the lower strips 3 are the strips 5, which pass between the vertical strips 1 and have their lower edges notched similarly to the strips 3 to rest over the twisted portions of the tiewires 2. These strips 5 form rests for the bottoms of the bottles and are preferably much narrower in width than the strips 3. The ends of the strips 3 and 5 extend slightly beyond the end series of vertical strips 1 to form filler extensions corresponding to the narrow strips on the ends of the series of vertical strips 1.

In order to more positively retain the upper row of strips 3 in position, certain of the vertical strips 1 may be notched, as indicated at 6, Fig. 1V, above the tie-wires 2, said notches being occupied by the strips 3 when the strips are in assembled position. WVhile, as stated above, I preferably employ two sets of the horizontal strips 3, a single set of such strips might be used, in which instance the strips would be of wide form andpositioned between the tie-wires 2, extending from one pair of wires to the other. v

In Fig. VI, I have shown a modification wherein the horizontal strips of the carriermay be inserted through the vertical strips instead of occupying positions in the intervening spaces between the strips. In this construction the lower ends of the vertical strips 1 are provided with slits 7, extending upwardly from the lower ends thereof to a point above the ties that bind the vertical strips together. The horizontal strips are introduced through said slits above the ties and are then moved downwardly to the ties, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. VI, the horizontal strips being preferably notched to fit over said ties. I have shown pairs of tiewires applied to the vertical strips 1 and secured thereto by twisting the wires between the strips, but wish it understood that I do not limit myself to. this particular form of effecting the tying of the strips, inasmuch as other forms of ties may be utilized to advan tage. Instead of using the pairs of tie-wires a single tie-wire may be used and be fixed to the various vertical strips by staples or other suitable means of attachment, or Wires may be entirely dispensed with and other tying means used, such as strips of wood or the like suitably secured to the vertical strips to unite them and receive the horizontal strips of the carrier.

A bottle-carrier constructed according to my invention is of very material meritover bottle-carriers in which the crossing-strips of the'different series all extend horizontally for the following reason: \Vhere horizontal strips are used entirely, spaces exist between the series of strips throughout the carrier at the locations of which it is possible for the bottles placed in the carrier to contact with each other, so that when a box equipped with the carrier and containiugbottles is moved or jarred it is possible for the bottles to jar against each other, especially if there are ribs or protuberances on the bottles that extend through the spaces between the strips. With the vertical strips as embodied in my carrier there are no spaces in existence between the several rows of bottle-spaces separated by the vertical strips, and therefore it is impossible for the bottles in one row to come into contact with those in another row. A carrier so in use occupies tle-carrier comprising rows of strips vertically arranged on their longitudinal ends, ties by which said vertical strips are united, and horizontal strips extending transversely of said vertical strips, substantially as described.

2. A bottle-carrier comprising a series of rows of strips vertically arranged on their longitudinal ends, ties by which said rows of vertical strips are united, and horizontal strips extending transversely of said vertical strips and adapted to rest on said ties, substantially as described.

3. A bottle-carrier comprising a series of rows of strips vertically arranged on their longitudinal ends, ties by which said rows of vertical strips are united, and horizontal strips extending transversely of said rows of vertical strips, said horizontal strips being provided with notches adapted to receive said ties, substantially as described.

4. A bottle-carrier comprising a series of rows of vertical strips, pairs of tie-wires extending across each row of said vertical strips and twisted intermediate of the various strips, and horizontal strips extending transversely of said vertical strips; said horizontal strips being provided with notches adapted to receive the twisted portions of said tie-wires when the horizontal strips are positioned between said vertical strips, substantially as described.

5. In a bottle-carrier, the combination of crossing-strips forming the framework of the carrier, and bottle-supporting strips mounted in the lower end of said framework in the interstices between the transverse edges of the adjacent crossing-strips, substantially as described.

6. In a bottle-carrier, the combination of a series of vertical strips arranged on end in rows, a series of horizontal strips extending transversely of said vertical strips and dividing the carrier into compartments, and bottlesupporting strips mounted on edge in the interstices between the transverse edges of the vertical strips within said compartments at the lower ends thereof, substantially as de scribed.

OLIVER F. CLARK. In presence of- E. S. KNIGHT, M. P. SMITH. 

